"That ban will come into effect at 6pm this evening. Italy itself has effectively put itself into lockdown with travel now, and this largely closes that loop."

On Monday, Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced that he was expanding restrictions on travel to cover the entire country in an unprecedented peacetime move to try to stop the spread of coronavirus. The move was in response to the country's death toll jumping by 97 in a single day.

He said the new government decree would require the country's 60 million residents to meet a set of criteria - such as a need to work or health conditions - in order to travel outside of where they live.

WHAT IS THE CURRENT SITUATION IN ITALY?

Across the country, museums and archaeological sites have been closed down, weddings cancelled and even restaurants and cafes have been ordered to close at dusk, meaning they can only be open from 6am to 6pm daily.

Italian officials have ordered ski lifts across the country to close, as the countrywide ban takes hold from Tuesday and will last until April 3, 2020.

All sporting events, including Serie A, the nation's top soccer league, have also been suspended. Schools and universities will also remain closed as part of the measures, while people have been banned from meeting up for a drink at night.

Italy is now one of the worst afflicted globally for the coronavirus. Only China has had more deaths, with the current Italian death toll sitting at 631 people and affected more than 10,000.

The draft decree says those who violate the restrictions could be punished by a fine of 206 euros ($A350) and jailed for up to three months.

The ban includes the closing of museums, gyms, schools, universities and ski resorts.